Chameleon (character)

The Chameleon (Dmitri Smerdyakov) is a Russian supervillain who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the first adversary of the superhero Spider-Man, having debuted in the opening issue of The Amazing Spider-Man (March 1963). The character is usually depicted as a master of disguises, known for his ability to impersonate virtually anyone. He is also the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter.

The character has appeared in several media adaptations of Spider-Man over the years, including animated television series and video games. In live action, Numan Acar plays Dmitri Smerdyakov in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film for Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) as Nick Fury's associate and made his debut in the upcoming film of the same name. of the villain called Kraven the Hunter (2024) in Sony's Spider-Man Universe portrayed by Fred Hechinger and will be his stepbrother's villain.

Post history

Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963), making him the first member of the Spider-Man's rogues gallery, according to the issue's publication date, excluding the thief who murdered Ben Parker (Supercharger was the first Spider-Man supervillain chronologically). He is also the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter; This relationship helped him evolve as a main villain compared to the original depiction of him as just a solo villain in the original issue of The Amazing Spider-Man.

Character history

The Chameleon was born as the Russian citizen named Dmitri Smerdyakov. In his youth, he was a servant and half-brother of Kraven the Hunter named Sergei Kravinoff. Although Dmitri and Sergei were friends, Sergei was often abusive towards Smerdyakov, leading to a combination of admiration and resentment towards Kravinoff. Finally Dmitri emigrated to the United States of America. As he had already created a talent for himself during his youth, impressing his brother by impersonating friends and neighbors, he took on an even more impressive disguise: the Chameleon. During his first known criminal act, he impersonated Spider-Man, although he was discovered and arrested. Shortly after, Sergei, now Kraven the Hunter, arrived in America. Both men became great enemies of Spider-Man, forming part of his gallery of enemies.

The Chameleon inspired Kraven the Hunter to begin hunting Spider-Man, inviting Kraven to dispose of the hero. With Kraven, the Chameleon battled Iron Man, and then faced the Hulk. At one point, the Chameleon disguised himself as Henry Pym, and robbed his laboratory for documents fighting Virus Nine. While delivering the documents and a shrunken Hulk to HYDRA, he was found and defeated by the real Pym as Ant-Man. The Chameleon also disguised himself as the Torpedo and fought Daredevil.

When Kraven committed suicide, the Chameleon became obsessed with making Spider-Man suffer by failing to prevent Kraven from killing himself. He ingested a serum that permanently disappeared the features of his face and made him malleable. He attempted to kidnap America's leading expert on superconductors, but his plan was thwarted by Spider-Man, who then kidnapped J. Jonah Jameson. He also sought help from Maggia to become the new crime lord in New York, and formed an alliance with Hammerhead. Disguised as a scientist, the Chameleon temporarily removed Spider-Man's powers. He then allied himself with the Fatal Women, Scorpion, and Tarantula to eliminate Spider-Man and Black Cat, but escaped when his plan failed.

The Chameleon's most ambitious plan against Spider-Man occurred when he formed an alliance with Harry Osborn, the second Green Goblin. Before Harry's death, he told him that Spider-Man's secret identity could be discovered through Peter Parker, to build androids from Peter's parents (Chameleon later admitted that he reviewed the entire plan to confirm once and for all that Peter was Spider-Man). The plan led to a psychotic breakdown for both Spider-Man and the Chameleon, with Spider-Man briefly renouncing his civilian identity while the Chameleon was sent to Ravencroft Asylum. However, when Dr. Ashley Kafka put him in a basement to try to continue treating him in the belief that he was close to a big discovery as the court prepared to put him on trial, the Chameleon escaped and tried to convince Spider-Man to leave. who was actually a hallucinatory writer who had suffered a nervous breakdown after the death of his daughter in a car accident, but Peter managed to break this delusion due to his willpower. The Chameleon's confirmation of Spider's secret identity -Man led him to attack Spider-Man through his family and friends, but this effort had rather poor results when Mary Jane Watson defeated him with a baseball bat. At some point between this and his subsequent appearances, it appeared that The Chameleon was destroyed by his nephew, Alyosha Kravinoff (Alyosha would later throw the Chameleon mask at Spider-Man, referring to him as "that weak Dmitri"), but He apparently recovered, waking up in a hospital.

After tricking Spider-Man and taking him to the bridge where his first love, Gwen Stacy, died, under the pretext of having kidnapped his wife, he declared his own loneliness and love to Peter. When Peter laughed in surprise, the Chameleon jumped off the bridge. He reappeared a short time later in a mental institution, totally incapacitated, believing himself to be Sergei Kravinoff instead of Dmitri Smerdyakov. He later appeared in his Chameleon identity as part of the Sinister Twelve, a team organized by Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin.

After Spider-Man revealed his identity to the public, the Chameleon assembled a group of villains, calling themselves the Exterminators, which included Will O' The Wisp, the Scarecrow, the Swarm, and Electro, and also tricked the Fire Man into using him in his effort to defeat Spider-Man and attack his family.

However, the Chameleon suffered one of the most humiliating defeats at the hands of Spider-Man's Aunt May, when he attempted to trick her into believing he was Peter, and then murder her. However, May was not fooled by any means, and she defeated the villain with a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies mixed with Ambien. Rhino was also employed as part of the team and later defeated Spider-Man only to find himself unable to receive pay from him as the Chameleon had already been captured.

After the Civil War, the Chameleon appeared along with other villains at the Zancudo's funeral, at the Bar Sin Nombre, where the Punisher poisoned the drinks and blew up the bar.

11 by MODOK

M.O.D.O.K He is a great Marvel villain with a great intellect, his first appearance was in Tales of Suspense #93 (Sep. 1967) his creators are Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. His real name is George Tarleton.

One More Day

The story of One More Day ended with Peter and Mary Jane's timeline being wiped of all memories, and no one knows Spider-Man's identity.

The Chameleon returns to New York more sadistic and sociopathic than ever. To complete his contracted goal of bombing City Hall, he kidnaps and takes the identity of Peter Parker, who works for Mayor J. Jonah Jameson. While posing as Parker, he attempts to improve his life, revealing that he always tries to rectify problems in his 'faces' lives. Using Peter's security clearance to gain access to various materials, Chameleon was about to bomb City Hall before Peter escaped and thwarted his plans as Spider-Man. During the resulting confusion, Chameleon escaped.

Grim Hunt

Some time later, in an alleyway building, a grieving Chameleon encounters Kraven the Hunter's wife, Sasha Kravinoff, and his daughter named Ana Kravinoff, who desire his help in avenging her husband's death. Various Tracking issues during The Gauntlet storyline show that Chameleon helped the Kravinoff family create an alliance of enemies of Spider-Man and Diablo. First, he and Sasha managed to break Electro out of prison.. Then Cameleón approached Mysterio and told him that he had friends who were "dying" to meet him. When it came to the Grim Hunt part, he posed as Ezekiel to approach Spider-Man, defeat him, and bring him to the Kravinoffs to sacrifice him as part of a ritual that will revive Sergei Kravinoff. After As Sergei is resurrected, the Chameleon states that the problem could come from the internal anger of being resurrected. He and the Kravinoffs discover Spider-Man's corpse, which is instead Kaine in the Spider-Man suit. The real Spider-Man goes to get revenge on the Kravinoff family. Spider-Man soon arrives and lures Cameleon and Alyosha to the huge spider nest. Sasha realizes that the Kravinoff family was not hunting spiders, but it was the spiders that chased them.

Origin of species

During the story of "The Origin of the Species", The Cameleon was invited by Doctor Octopus to join his team of supervillains, where he becomes involved in obtaining some specific items for him. He poses as Harry Osborn to trick Spider-Man by telling him that Menace's baby has died. When Spider-Man was away, Cameleon got the baby. Doctor Octopus then talks to Chameleon saying that the baby is the first of a new species. Using an advantage gained when he defeated Shocker, Spider-Man arrives at the Kravinoff Mansion where he captures Chameleon who reveals that the baby is still alive and is in the Lizard's clutches.

Six Sinisters

Chameleon later becomes a member of the latest incarnation of Doctor Octopus of the Sinister Six. He poses as Captain Steve Rogers to infiltrate an Air Force base. Chameleon disguises himself as a tribal chief when he and Mysterio stage a zombie pirate attack on some natives. Using robots from the other members of the Sinister Six, Cameleon and Mysterio carried out this plan as a distraction so that Doctor Octopus and the other members of the Sinister Six could infiltrate the Baxter Building to search for specific technology plans while the Future Foundation was investigating the more obvious threat.

Later, Chameleon poses as Klaw to infiltrate Intelligence so he can help the Sinister Six steal their Zero Cannon.

During the story of Until the End of the World, Cameleon was present with the Sinister Six when Doctor Octopus tells them his master plan. Chameleon was present at the Palazzo Senatorio at a summit in which The world's greatest minds and world leaders are brought in to discuss Doctor Octopus' supposed offer to save the world with Chameleon disguised as Al Gore. Like Al Gore, Chameleon claims that Doctor Octopus would save them. Without a counterargument, Spider-Man punches Al Gore and reveals to everyone present that Al Gore is actually a Chameleon in disguise. Spider-Man stated that his new costume could detect which person is really Chameleon based on his heartbeat. A transmission from Doctor Octopus indicates that he has activated the Octavian Lens, which blocks the sun's harmful UV rays to strengthen his supply. After letting Cameleon go, Spider-Man secretly places a Spider-Tracer on Chameleon so he and the Avengers can follow him. They follow Chameleon to the Mediterranean shores where the rest of the Sinister Six are waiting for Chameleon. Using many of the stolen items, the Sinister Six successfully subdue the Avengers leaving only Spider-Man standing.

After Spider-Man and Black Widow escape with Silver Sable's help, Cameleon suggests that since the remaining members of the Sinister Six had received their $2 billion and their criminal records expunged, they should leave the Doctor Octopus and his plan. However, they remain on board as that would make an enemy into Doctor Octopus. The Cameleon later becomes involved with Mysterio in tricking Spider-Man and his allies into believing they were destroying Symkaria, to give Doctor Octopus more time to complete his 200 satellites. However, the Chameleon is captured and the Black Widow threatens to reveal the secret behind her real face.

Following the story of Dying Wish, Cameleon later fights the Superior Spider-Man (Otto Octavius' mind in Spider-Man's body) and the Secret Avengers on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. Chameleon ends up unconscious and Superior Spider-Man transports him to his hidden underwater laboratory where he ends up imprisoned. Chameleon, Electro, Sandman, Mysterion, and the Vulture are later seen as part of a team led by Superior Spider-Man called &# 34;Six Superiors". Superior Spider-Man has been temporarily controlling their minds to redeem them for his crimes. He does this by forcing them to perform heroic acts against his will that almost kill some of them. Every time he finishes controlling them, he returns them to their containment cells. They eventually break free from the Superior Spider-Man's control and attempt to take revenge on the Wall Thieves, while nearly destroying New York in order to do so. With the help of Sun Girl, Superior Spider-Man can barely stop the Superior Six.

Deadpool Annual

After the return of the real Spider-Man, Chameleon attempts to drive Spider-Man crazy as revenge for Superior Spider-Man's treatment of him during the events of the 'Superior Six'. However, Spider-Man's ally Deadpool changes costumes with Spider-Man, with Cameleon unaware of this. He can't drive 'Spider-Man' crazy (since Deadpool is already crazy), and ends up getting killed in the leg by him. Both heroes (in disguise) hit the Chameleon at the same time, knocking him out and then handing him over to the authorities.

Powers and abilities

Originally, although Dmitri had no powers, he simply used makeup and created costumes to impersonate his victims. To do this, he implemented a device in a belt buckle that emitted a gas that helped shape his features. Later, the Chameleon obtained a micro-computer from Spencer Smythe for his belt buckle that could be programmed with the facial features of hundreds of people. The belt buckle also contains a video receiver that allows the computer to analyze the appearance of anyone facing the Chameleon to duplicate their characteristics using electrical pulses. The computer uses holographic technology that allows you to change the appearance of it with just one button. His electronic devices allow him to appear as two different people to two independent observers at the same time. The Chameleon's suit is made up of "memory material" that can be altered by electrical impulses from his belt in order to resemble the clothing of the person he is impersonating..

Later, the Chameleon's powers are made innate: his epidermis and skin pigmentation have been surgically and mutagenically altered by a serum so that he can take on the appearance of any person at will. He also wears a cloth made of memory material that responds to nerve impulses and can resemble any costume he desires.

When his past friendship with Kraven the Hunter was revealed, it was also revealed that the Chameleon had taken the same serums that Kraven had taken in recent years. This would suggest that the two characters were of a similar age (over 70 years old). I would also suggest that the Chameleon's physical strength and stamina could be increased a bit, but as the Chameleon's strength is much lower than Kraven's, his increases may not reach a superhuman level.

Aside from his physical advantages, the Cameleon is a master of disguise, and a brilliant method and impressionist actor. He is also a master at creating realistic masks and makeup. He is a quick-change artist who can assume a new costume in less than a minute, although he no longer needs to use such abilities. He also speaks several languages fluently. Although the Chameleon is not a scientific genius, during his augmented life he has been exposed to a wide range of sophisticated experimental technologies, many of which he can effectively apply in his nefarious schemes.

In his 2010 appearances in The Amazing Spider-Man, writer Fred Van Lente placed more emphasis on his disguise skills than his superhuman powers. In this portrait, Cameleon kidnaps people and brutally kills them by throwing them into an acid bath. Hearing them beg for their lives, he alters his tone to sound exactly the same and takes a facial impression to turn it into a mask. This creepier Chameleon also seeks to mend the lives of his "faces," attempting to rectify the problems in his lives, while presenting himself as part of a distorted heroic vision of himself.

Other versions

Chameleon 2099

In Marvel 2099, a designer drug that causes its users to involuntarily change shape in response to whatever emotion they are feeling at the moment is nicknamed "Chameleon". After battling an addict (who turned into a bull-like monster when he got angry and a mouse-like creature when he got scared) in Woodstock 2099, the era's Spider-Man tracks down Cameleon's distributor, a known hippy. like Major Jones. While fighting Jones and his henchmen, Spider-Man accidentally knocks the dealer into his drug supply, causing him to mutate into an amorphous blob, the new Chameleon.

Ultimate Marvel

A definitive version of Cameleon appears in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man as twin brothers with the ability to shapeshift. One introduces himself first as J. Jonah Jameson, and later Spider-Man, while the other keeps the real Jameson and Peter Parker restricted. They are defeated by Johnny Storm and Bobby Drake, and imprisoned in the Triskelion.

Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man

In Iron Man during The Marvel Action Hour, The Cameleon appeared in issue #4 of the comic based on cartoons in the service of Justin Hammer. He used his transformation abilities to obtain the Reaper weapon from Stark Enterprises.

Marvel Noir

In Spider-Man Noir, Dmitri Smerdyakov (aka The Chameleon) is described as a former Coney Island fan who works for mob boss Norman Osborn (aka " The Duende"). Like his main counterpart, he has the ability to alter his characteristics to mimic any individual, although this ability stems from his malleable, clay-like characteristics rather than any technological advantage. Osborn has him impersonate J. Jonah Jameson to eliminate Ben Urich and set a trap for Spider-Man. He was killed by Felicia Hardy when she sees him as Jameson killing Ben.

In other media

Television

• The first animated appearance of Camaleón was in The Marvel Super HeroesWith Tom Harvey's voice. He was seen in the Iron Man segment episode "Cliffs of Doom", working with Kraven the Hunter to steal Tony Stark's magneton laser. Chameleon is also seen in the episode of The Incredible Hulk, "Enter the Chameleon".
• Chameleon appeared in the 1980s, The new adventures of Spider-Manwith the voice of John H. Mayer. In the episode, "Arsenico and Aunt May," he met a relative of the thief who shot Uncle Ben, Chameleon passes through the ghost of his uncle Ben with his wife posing associated as a gypsy to manipulate Aunt May to kill Spider-Man.
• Camaleón was an outstanding villain Spider-Man and His Amazing Friendswith the voice of Hans Conried. In the episode "Seven small superheroes", he attracted Spider-Man, Ice Man, Firestar, Captain America, Doctor Extraño, Namor and Shanna, the jungle reigns on the remote island of Lobo have to take them one by one. He is frustrated by Miss Lion (the dog of Aunt May that had been marked, along with Spider-Man on the trip). MTV News declared the episode: "For many, this is the par excellence episode of the series, improved by the intense cove of Hans Conried as the Chameleon. (Conried became famous for his role as Captain Garfio in Peter Pan)."
• Chameleon appeared as a recurring villain in Spider-Man Anniversary Series from 1990, it was expressed multiple voice actors, search for whoever is passing while there are lines that speak in their true form (in "The Six Sinisters", it became the central pivot only to say a phrase). An international Hitman and spy, the Chameleon carries a camera device mounted on the belt, which is capable of capturing an image of a person, so it can become that person as a form of disguise. This turned out to be his loss in his first appearance on the "Day of the Chameleon": he dedicated himself to copying a picture of Nick Fury from a covert Bugle that had been turned without realizing it. Therefore, his eye patch was on the wrong side of the face and Spider-Man told S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that he was an impostor. The chameleon later tried to kill two diplomats at a UN conference, but he was frustrated by Spider-Man. Spidey easily picked him up from the crowd: he had taken the look of Peter Parker. Mary Jane Watson came to the Daily Bugle to see Peter. She met chameleon, disguised as Peter, and asked him to go to a Shakespearean play that she saved him a seat. Chameleon kissed Mary Jane on her lips with passion to hide from some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Mary Jane kissed the Chameleon back, thinking it was Peter and thought she committed to coming to the play. Chameleon later becomes a member of the insidious Six where he took the form of a prison guard to release Shocker, Scorpion, Mystery, Rhino, and Doctor Octopus from his cells. In the episodes "Inculpted" and "The Fearless Man," Chameleon works for Richard Fisk (son of Wilson Fisk), instilling Peter Parker for information from the restricted government. Chameleon even disguised as Spider-Man to kidnap Peter Parker from the police van outside the court after the first half of Peter Parker's test. After Peter Parker's name he was erased by Spider-Man and Daredevil, while Richard Fisk, Federal Agent Susan Choi, and the Chameleon are arrested, prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment. It is revealed that Chameleon is imprisoned in a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison and was assigned by central pivot to pass and release John Hardy, the father of Felicia Hardy, using his new ability to assume different forms without his camera device. In the episode "Seis Warriors Forgotten", Camaleon was driven from the prison by central pivot and the Six Sinisters in order to find the device keys of the final judgment of Red Cráneo. When Cráneo Rojo was released from the dilation of time, it was revealed that the chameleon is the stepdaughter of Red Skull. In the end, Electro and Red Skull, along with Captain America, were trapped in a legal vacuum and the dilation of time, Chameleon escaped.
• Chameleon appears in the animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man with Steven Blum's voice. This version uses realistic masks very similar to its original iteration. His first chronological appearance was in the episode "The Principle of Uncertainty" where a competitor of Oscorp hired him to disguise himself as Norman Osborn and steal secrets from the company (although this was not revealed until the second end of the season "final Curtain"). In the "Person" episode, it is hired by a general without a name to steal the symbiote, but failed due to a battle between Spider-Man and the Black Cat. Later, he disguised himself as Spider-Man to commit various crimes and blame the real Spider-Man. His minions are Quentin Beck, using special effects techniques to make it look like a chameleon has all the powers of Spider-Man, and Phineas Mason using his inventions to help commit the crimes and secretly photograph them and give the photographs to the Daily Bugle. Spidey joins the Black Gata to beat the imitator, but he escapes by passing through Stan Carter. At the end of the series "Final Curtain", Camaleón disguises himself as Norman once again. His supplantation finally reveals itself after Spider-Man tears off the green dungeon mask that reveals Norman. Harry Osborn recalls that Norman apologized to Spider-Man before (since Norman never apologizes to anyone), by realizing this, Harry pulls his mask and reveals the impostor. Then, Chameleon escapes jumping off the helicopter with a parachute after saying, "I did nothing to deserve this."
• Chameleon appears in Spider-Man with Patton Oswalt's voice. This version uses a device implanted in your mask to change shape to another person. In the episode "Bring on the Bad Guys" Pt. 4, after the defeat of Electro, Chameleon personifies and frames Spider-Man for stealing a bank. In addition, he passes for Chief Yuri Wantanabe while Spiderman is deceived to contain himself. By revealing to Spider-Man, Chameleon tells him that he was the brain behind Spider-Man's generosity, and that he had also told him he had been infiltrating the Daily Bugle for weeks to get more information about Spider-Man. Spider-Man chases Chameleon to the Daily Bugle, where he is captured by J. Jonah Jameson and Stan the Cameraman. In an attempt to further criminalize Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson is passed, but Spider-Man beats Chameleon by beating the doppleganger, saving Jameson's life. Incarcerated in a cell that denies its holographic technology, Camaleón is briefly contacted by his unidentified superior, where Camaleón tells him that everything is going to plan.

Movie

• The civil identity of Chameleon, Dimitri Smerdyakov, played by Numan Acar, appears in the movie Marvel Cinematic Universe of 2019, Spider-Man: Far from home. He represents him as a Nick Fury associate (who then revealed himself as the Skrull Talos).
• The Chameleon, Dmitri Smerdyakok, will be played by Fred Hechinger in the movie Kraven the Hunter 2024, from the Sony Universe.

Video games

• Chameleon appears in the SNES version of Spider-Man, a video game based on Spider-Man: The Animated Series. Attack the player by imitating the appearances of Rhino and the Owl.
• Cameleón appears in the video game The Amazing Spider-Man 2, played by Glenn Steinbaum. Donald Menken has been sent to supervise the Kingpin experiments. In the post-credit scene, Camaleón asks what his next plan is. Kingpin tells Camaleon that "the real job begins."
• Chameleon is the main antagonist in Sega 32X videogame, The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire. He is the final boss of that game and can imitate the appearances of the former bosses.